Town, Lloyds reach deal on museum trees

The town of Silver City, through the Silver City Museum, has reached an agreement with the museum’s next door neighbors over a pair of problematic trees in the museum’s courtyard.

When the museum’s neighbors, the Lloyds, finally drew attention to their problem with the trees, a rowdy uproar erupted over the trees’ survival. One tree is afflicted with a disease that will eventually kill it, while the other’s limbs hang over both town and private properties.

The agreement calls for the preservation of the large silver poplar tree in the museum courtyard. The other tree, a Siberian elm infected with “slime flux” disease, will be removed as a public hazard.

The town said it will continue to work with tree specialists to ensure proper tree maintenance, “minimizing any impact on the neighboring property and the museum,” according to a release.

“The town appreciates the passion that was expressed over the last several days for Silver City and the landscaping at the Silver City Museum,” said James Marshall, assistant town manager, who expressed satisfaction with the resolution and with the response from the community. “The town received close to 100 emails and phone calls regarding the trees at the museum. We believe the agreement that has been reached satisfies overall public desire as to the future of the museum courtyard.”

William Lloyd, who shares the adjoining property with his wife and their business, Lloyd Studios, said he was also satisfied with the conclusion, but disappointed with the way everything was handled.

“I am happy with the resolution. We never said we wanted the trees cut down,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd said they have been trying to get the town to address the issues with the trees for years. It took, he said, a call to the fire marshal to get the town’s attention. He said the elm tree had caused significant structural, not just aesthetic, damage to the rear building on their property — cracks appeared from the roots, for instance.

“We weren’t complaining,” Lloyd said. “If it were any other neighbor but the town, no one would think anything about this. The problem is it’s on city property and 50 years ago someone planted two noxious trees on the property. Since then, people have become emotionally attached to the trees. If it was any other neighbor, they would be expected to be a good neighbor and take care of their trees. If they actually trimmed the limbs and leaves of their trees there wouldn’t be a problem.”

He was especially hurt by the handling of the news releases from the town.

“We have been vilified through this, and that is not fair,” he said.

The resolution includes the removal of the diseased, and invasive, elm tree. Marshall said the healthy poplar will be left where it is, though the offending limb, hanging over the Lloyds’ property, will probably be trimmed.

However, Marshall said the town could not clean the trees’ offending cottony reproductive residue from the Lloyds’ private property, which was one of the neighbors’ original requests.

Those seeking more information about this topic should contact Marshall at asstmgr@silvercitynm.gov.

Lloyd said that if anyone has questions for them, their phone number is on the door of Lloyd Studios on Broadway.